Comedian Victoria Wood has died after losing cancer battle

Joe Pennington

Comedian Victoria Wood has died aged 62 after a short battle with cancer, her publicist said today.

The actress died at home in London surrounded by her family.

Her publicist, Neil Reading, said: “Victoria Wood has sadly passed away, after a short but brave battle with cancer.

“The multi Bafta award­winning writer, director, actor and comedian died peacefully at her north London home with family this morning. She was 62.

“The family ask for privacy at this very sad time.”

Wood was well known for her comedy series Victoria Wood: As Seen On TV, as well as her role in sitcom Dinnerladies and her TV special, Victoria Wood With All The Trimmings.

In 2006, she won two Bafta awards for acting and writing for her drama Housewife, 49 ­ an adaptation of the diaries of Nella Last.

In 1997, she was made an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours and was then made a CBE in 2008.

A tweet on her own account read: “We are devastated to confirm that our very special Victoria has sadly lost her short battle with cancer. Thank you for your support & love.”

Among those paying tribute to Wood were Lauren Laverne and Sarah Millican.

Laverne tweeted that the comedian had taught her that ‘women of my generation’ could be funny too, while Millican said: “So incredibly sad to hear that Victoria Wood has died. A true comedy icon.”

Wood’s older brother added that her death “has robbed us of one of the brightest talents of our generation”.

Chris Foote Wood, 75, who sat on Wear Valley District and Durham County Councils, said: “But more than that I feel that Victoria’s death has robbed us of one of the brightest talents of our generation.

“It wasn’t just that Victoria was hugely talented in so many different fields, she was also outstanding in her tremendous, single-minded drive and determination to pursue her chosen career. Success did not come easily to Victoria, and it was only after years of struggle that she achieved her well-deserved national acclaim.

“I am hugely proud of what my sister has done so successfully in different fields of entertainment. It has been a privilege to have her as a sister, and particularly to have been able to observe at first hand how she developed her career from the earliest beginnings.

“Victoria’s two children, my niece Grace and nephew Henry (Durham) will be absolutely devastated to lose their mother at such a relatively young age.

“Another reason I admire Victoria is that she was determined from the start to give her two children as normal an upbringing as possible and to shield them from unwanted media attention.

“In this she succeeded superbly, aided in every way by her then husband Geoffrey Durham who has continued his close support for their children after he and Victoria divorced in 2002.”